


A Merry Little Midwinter

by devilinthedetails



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: A Merry Little Midwinter, F/M, Friendship, Gen, Humor, Midwinter Card, Midwinter Wishes, New Hope, letter home
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:09:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28456602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/devilinthedetails/pseuds/devilinthedetails
Summary: Stationed at New Hope, Neal composes a Midwinter card to Yuki.
Relationships: Yukimi noh Daiomoru/Nealan of Queenscove
Kudos: 15





	A Merry Little Midwinter

**Author's Note:**

> Set after Lady Knight. 
> 
> Written for the Merry Melodies Challenge at Goldenlake. 
> 
> Inspired by the "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" song.

A Merry Little Midwinter

Neal sat in the common area of the officer’s quarters trying to compose by candlelight a Midwinter card to his wife Yuki. It was over a month early—the leaves had only just fallen from the deciduous trees around New Hope—but that was the only way to ensure that the couriers could carry the letter to the woman he loved above all others through the steep, narrow mountain passes any time before the snow melted next spring. 

The soft glow of the candlelight was romantic and made him feel nostalgic and warm as mulled cider inside, so he waxed poetic as he wrote to Yuki. He told her to wear colors of cheery red and vivid green, not any dreary shades to mourn his absence. He assured her that he wanted her to have a bright holiday even though he wasn’t present in body to share it with her, because he would be there in spirit like a friendly ghost. Yes, he promised her, he would be celebrating Midwinter with her if only in his dreams…His dreams of her flesh pressed against his, his breath on her ear, his lips on hers, his body delving deeply into her softness…

As he neared the conclusion of his letter—the section that was supposed to provide emotional release to reader and writer alike—he occurred to him that Yuki for some strange reason might regard his planned well-wish that she should have herself a merry little Midwinter somehow condescending. Yuki could turn almost as sardonic as him or worse still cold as the winds howling out of Scanra across the Vassa when she imagined that he was being in any way condescending to her. Her pride, he thought, was legendary in true Yamani fashion. 

“Kel,” he said, chewing on the tip of his quill in a manner he could only hope appeared meditative and not foolish. As she glanced up from writing some report to Lord Wyldon, he went on, “I’ve got a delicate female question for you.” 

“I’m not delicate.” Kel returned to her writing, seeming to decide that he wasn’t worth the interruption to her work. “So I’m not the right person to answer your delicate female question.” 

“Of course you are. You’re the only woman around—the only one I can ask and who can answer me.” Neal gestured around the room that was indeed otherwise devoid of a female presence. This dramatic appeal thus finished, he explained his quandary in a rush, “I’m writing a Midwinter card to Yuki. I am about to tell her to have herself a merry little Midwinter. Do you think that could come across as at all condescending, you know?” 

“Have yourself a merry little Midwinter.” Merric snorted from where he was lounging in a chair by the fire and doing nothing productive as far as Neal’s sharp eyes could discern. “I’d say that definitely comes across as condescending. Anything referred to as ‘little’ sounds demeaning and diminishing. As a poet, you should know that.” 

“I didn’t ask the opinion of a proud confirmed bachelor,” snapped Neal, glaring daggers at Merric. “I asked the opinion of my esteemed commander, the only woman present among us, the Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan.” 

“I don’t need to be a woman to tell you that sounds condescending.” Merric rolled his eyes, obviously undaunted by Neal’s glare. “Anyone could tell you that. A five-year-old boy could tell you that.” 

“What’s your opinion, Kel?” Neal fixed an appealing gaze on Kel, hoping that she would support him and not the proud confirmed bachelor Merric. 

“I’m afraid Merric’s right, Neal. It does sound condescending. I suggest just wishing Yuki a merry Midwinter and leaving out the ‘little’ part.” Kel looked up from her report long enough to give Neal a smile that could only be described as faintly pitying before resuming her writing. 

“Oh, fine.” Neal emitted a long-suffering sigh as his quill scratched across his parchment once more. “I’ll go with the boring cliche ‘have a merry Midwinter’ and not try to add my own creative flare to avoid offending anyone’s delicate sensibilities.”


End file.
